Tsuki wa Watashitachi ni Utatteimasu
by yaslanagirl
Summary: “The moon is singing to us. Let’s listen to that song together, please. So that we can find happiness, alright?” Yu Yu Hakusho song-fic, Alternate Universe, Rock, Pop. A journey through emotions and feelings to find the truth of oneself.
1. Chapter 1

つきはわたしたちにうたっています。

いっしょうに、あのうたをきってください。

わたしたちがうれしいですから、ね？

"The moon is singing to us.

Let's listen to that song together, please.

So that we can find happiness, alright?"

‡

_A.N.: This story is a band-fic set in a slightly AU Yu Yu Hakusho World. None of the characters mentioned herein belong to me. All of the artistic works will be properly disclaimed at the time of use and can be found at the end of the chapter in question to reduce the likelihood of spoiling the story. Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi-san. Please enjoy this story. Thank you._

_I would like to dedicate this first chapter to my family who help me move on in life after hardships. I owe you all very much, far more than I can ever express, and my love for all of you will always be strong._

†

Shizuru checked her wristwatch again before casting a wistful expression to the skyscrapers around her. She had made a trip to downtown Tokyo just for the tryouts. Groaning, she retrieved a cigarette and lit the rolled paper perfection with a parting gift from her latest of love interests. Except, this person had died, while she was watching. With Sakyo's death still weighing on her mind, a whole year later, Shizuru began to wonder if everything was alright with her. Taking a long drag, she shrugged, coming to the conclusion that things in her head were probably not where they usually belonged. She'd square with that later. For now, she had to help the original members weed through the hundreds of hopefuls who had shown that morning.

Stabbing the ashtray with the last embers of what had been her cigarette break. Pulling on the strict manager's face, Shizuru made her way inside, eventually finding the third floor lobby. It was just as busy now as it had been before she left, bustling with people from all ages and genders, and with all sorts of different expressions. Not willing to sift through all the people she knew would not make it past the first stage, Shizuru ignored everyone around her while she waited for the current contestant to finish. Just because it was likely for that person to not make it much farther didn't mean she would be the reason they failed for sure. Or maybe she just didn't want to be the excuse for getting to the next stage of potentials because she had "thrown somebody off".

She leaned against the wall next to the door and tried not to listen to anything as her mind resettled itself into full-on Managerial Mode. Since she hadn't been looking at a clock, the budding psychic couldn't say for sure how long it was until the door opened and a quite bubbly head of blue-ish hair flew past her in a hurry. Not particularly caring, Shizuru walked through the door in the same moment as someone caught her arm.

"Wait, it was my turn next. You should wait like all the rest of us," a masculine voice demanded.

Shizuru arched an eyebrow as she looked back at the boy in question over her shoulder, her inner-self smirking as he shrank a little. "I'm not a contestant." She continued walking toward the chairs at the back of the room.

For some reason, the boy was given confidence because of her statement, so he plowed on, "Then why are you even in here? I thought this area was for band tryouts only."

Trying very hard not to make a rude sound by habit, she turned her entire body back towards him and the closing door behind him, "You know, for someone who seems so ready to become a part of the band, you sure are lacking in background knowledge."

"Well, I probably know more about this band than you do, missy!"

Shizuru couldn't take it anymore, and she began to laugh at his expense, "Ha! That's funny. _You_, an outsider, know more than _me, _the manager? That's quite a steep assumption, boy."

The boy's wide blue eyes told everyone exactly how scared he was, and hopefully how much he knew he had screwed himself over in that moment. He didn't say anything else, bowed to the seated individuals behind her, and left the room very quickly.

"Send in the next one after you!" Shizuru called, capitalizing on her timing so the whole room heard her say it. They'd all know he didn't make it, and that was almost enough to give her back the calm she had earned from her break. The next voice she heard was a far more welcome brand of smart-assery.

"Guys like that really piss me off," with slicked back hair to match his personality, Yusuke sported a large smirk.

"Never mind you, how've the rest of them been doing?" Shizuru was honestly interested, and not only because she didn't want to have to suffer through this again.

"Ranging from really promising to what you just watched leave, but it's been a really tedious process. You'd really like to think that if someone were tone-deaf, their families and loved ones would keep them from looking like a dumbass…" Yusuke commented snidely before the door opened heralding a new contestant.

†

Several hours later, Shizuru sat in a conference room together with Yusuke, Yukina, Koenma, Hiei, and her brother Kazuma. Coffee and donuts populated the central desk like wildflowers. On the whiteboard had been posted lists of names from the two groups that had been conducting a general personality and talent test separately to make the process run faster, but they all knew one thing that loomed over them: the next step would last longer and be more attention intensive. From here on, the whole band would all be judging together in an effort to make a more unified decision. Now they all just waited through an interlude that served several purposes: letting the security clear out the stragglers, giving the hopefuls a rest, and also giving the band members a much needed break.

They all sat in relative silence, enjoying the time of peace before they would begin to judge more harshly. Flicking a glance to her wristwatch, Shizuru stood hesitantly.

"Well, let's get this over with, guys," Shizuru suggested to the table at large.

Hiei pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on and hn'ed as he ran a hand through his spiky black hair. Shizuru let her eyes rest longer than usual on his particularly care-free outlook on the world which made itself apparent in his body language. To most he appeared to be constantly saying "Fuck off", but to those who knew him -and Shizuru liked to count herself among them- his statement was different. More like a silent statement of friendship that he was even standing there with them, but a facet of his personality that would never change was his wordlessness. She liked to think it was because he valued his words and opinions more than to just go around letting just anyone hear them. The thought made her smile as she passed through the door to the judging room.

The first person to be heard after the break was already sitting there, watching their entrance. His eyes saw Shizuru's smile and his demeanor seemed to relax a little, but not too much. Shizuru was too busy gathering her clipboard to note his relaxation as anything more than a relief of not having to wait anymore. She made a note in the side margin: Punctual.

From her left came a question, rightfully interested, "What will you be performing, this time?" Yusuke had voiced her curiosity for her.

The redhead stood fluidly and spoke with confidence, "I will be singing Nightmare and Koori No Naifu wo Daite for my personally picked pieces. I will also sing the piece required of all vocal performers in the try-outs." The teen walked over to the sound board technician and gave a few quiet explanations before stepping back to the middle of the room. With a nod from him, the music began and on cue, he sang.

Shizuru was impressed by the level of control he maintained over his voice and the emotions that flowed forth. So impressed was she, that she forgot to take any further notes on the remainder of his performance. It was with a sad smile that she watched his back as he left the room. She looked down at the paper and found it was mostly blank. With hurried motions, she scribbled in half thoughts as best she could after the fact, hoping she hadn't been the only one to forget her purpose in his voice.

†

If Shizuru wasn't mistaken, the collective sigh from her left came from everyone. Sharing the sentiment, she joined in.

"Just one more segment to go, right?" Yukina's soft voice reminded them. "And the quality is getting better now, too," she added hopefully.

Yusuke snorted, "That just means we have to work harder to make the right choice. Sure it gets easier on the ears, but much harder on the brain."

'_Count on Yusuke to see the difficulty in any situation…_' Shizuru mused to herself, carefully keeping her opinions at bay. More quietly than before, the band left the break room and trekked to a new judging room where the performances would be recorded. Perhaps they all felt as tired as she did, and maybe they could feel the gathering energy around them, much like it does when fate plays a hand around them. Sending her little brother a glance, she knew he felt it too, but in less intensity. It seemed she had more of a feel for things that would occur or that were occurring, while he had more of a sense for people or beings around him. Brushing off the shiver like a sneeze, she kept walking towards the door, behind which fate would show her hand.

Shizuru glanced at the clock, willing it to go faster. They had listened to four of the twenty potentials and all of them were relatively decent. The next was supposed to be for the keyboard position, so the stage hands were moving the grand piano and the microphones into place.

A knock sounded on the door before it was opened slowly, "Please excuse my interruption," a voice called before the person entered.

Shizuru turned her attention away from the microphone setup and towards the shockingly blue haired young lady. "Are you here for the try-outs?" Shizuru was more straight-forward than usual, but that was only due to an entire day spent at the studio devoted to finding replacement members.

With a nod and a beaming smile, the blue haired lady stepped inside and looked at the setup. Impressed, she made her opinions known, "Wow, this is all very techy—Ooops! Should I wait outside until the setup is finished?" She worried once she recognized what was going on.

Yukina spoke up, the 5th time that day, "No, that's alright. Just waiting in here is fine." The ice apparition seemed pleased to have another woman who wasn't a complete blockhead trying out to become part of the band.

Shizuru couldn't blame her; the guys totally outnumbered the girls. She added a nod, "Yeah, just have a seat or something, it'll be ready soon."

Probably out of curiosity, Kazuma piped up, "So uh, what will you be playing?"

The woman got a bright smile on her face and Shizuru felt like she was about to be treated to something from this woman's heart, "I will be playing a piano version of Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach. It is kind of long, but I did save my favorite for last!" The woman finished her announcement with a smile. "After that I'll play a short piece to show what the rest of my personality looks like, but I'll keep it a secret for now," The blue haired woman winked.

Shizuru had a feeling they would be in for a real treat. Normally that Toccata and Fugue piece made her feel like she was being preyed upon by a vampire, but something told her to expect something different. Sure enough, as the woman sat down at the piano, she had the biggest smile on her face. As she began to play, something occurred to Shizuru in a moment: '_This interpretation is the most energetic and compelling I've heard. It's nothing like the normal dreary doom and gloom feel that I normally get from this song. I feel like there is a battle occurring just beyond my sight within the strings of the piano. And unlike the common interpretation, this time the battle is being won._'

Once again, Shizuru forgot to take notes, so engrossed was she into the performance, and when the final chords echoed in her ears, Shizuru felt a scramble to write down the feelings she could remember. She was very glad to have a recorded copy for later review.

Through the glass, pink eyes connected with Shizuru momentarily before moving to each consecutive person listening. Knowing they could hear her, she spoke, although very softly, "My second song is a lullaby sung to me by my mother. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do." It seemed as though the woman before them had shifted into a world of her past. The joy was laced with nostalgia and before Shizuru could determine anymore, the woman turned back to the piano and began to play.

It was a beautiful song, even before the words, it seemed to be played with love from deep within her heart. The words, flowing from her mouth, gave the melody a new meaning, and even though she wasn't trying to be their singer, she had a decent voice. But something struck Shizuru about the song. Something within the meaning, inside the tone, that something pulled at her heart at the same time as the music flowing through the speakers healed those unpleasant feelings. Shizuru wondered what had happened to this woman for those feelings to be so tangible in her music, from so deep in her heart.

All too soon, the song ended, and again, Shizuru had to write a few quick notes in the margins.

Looking through the glass again, those pink eyes shone a little more, and through that emotion, her smile beamed brightly. "I hope you enjoyed my playing!" The woman behind the glass bowed deeply, her blue ponytail swishing down as her back bent.

Shizuru watched closely for a hint of emotion other than happiness, but only nervousness was there. She smiled at the woman, and gave her an encouraging 'Thumbs-up'.

†

"It's decided then?" Koenma asked of them all.

Yukina nodded with a big smile, "I'm alright with the decision, and so is Shizuru, I think." Her red irises looked over at Shizuru with an expectant smile.

Shizuru nodded her consent, she was more than pleased with the final decision they had nearly initially unanimously achieved. She became even more pleased when all of them had decided to agree with very little argument or hard feelings. Last time they had gone through a try-out phase, it was a nightmare.

Koenma stood with purpose, placing his hands on the desk as he leaned against it. His light gold eyes were unreadable to Shizuru, "What are their names?"

Shizuru lifted the receiver, punched in a few numbers and spoke into the P.A. system, "Attention: we have reached a conclusion. Will numbers 251 and 392 please make their way to the recording room? Numbers 251 and 392. Thank you."

Placing the receiver down, she just had to wait for the knock that would signify the late end of this very long day. With a look at the rest of the members, she could tell they felt the same way as well: not exactly in the mood to go partying. She hoped the newest members would understand if they didn't feel the same.

Kazuma was standing closest to the door when the knock came, so he answered it with a large smile. Nodding his consent, he let them in, "Yup, you guys do look familiar. Come in and have a seat!"

Shizuru watched as the blue haired lady walked in behind the red headed teen. They both had unique and perfect expressions on their faces: just the right mix of confidence, surprise, and happiness. Sitting on a chair near the sofa, Shizuru remembered one tiny detail, "Introductions are in order. You probably know who all of us are, but in order to keep things impersonal, we've had to go without knowing any names so far."

With a tiny amount of shock, the blue haired girl spoke first, "I didn't even realize that was the case. Out in the lobby, everyone was already acquaintances and such by the time the first selection was over. I am Botan, Shinigami Botan. I guess… I was classically trained in the piano since I was five, and I have a little experience in playing violin. I suppose you could say that even despite my classical background, I am a little rebellious when it comes to music! Oh! I have had my eyes on this band and joining since its first debut. I thought, 'wow! They look so cool; I wish I could play with them all the time!' But really, I'm not creepy or anything!" Botan finished with laughter and tried to assure everyone by shaking her head and hands in unison. But it was mostly her laughter that made Shizuru feel more at ease.

The red head sitting next to her kind of chuckled his agreement, "Maybe only a little creepy." Smiling widely, he imitated her expression of shaking his hands and head simultaneously, "Besides that, it is my pleasure to meet all of you finally. My name is Shuuichi, Minamino Shuuichi. I have always enjoyed singing, and finally was able to convince my parents to give me voice lessons at the age of 10. Aside from singing, I also enjoy many other things, not the least of which would be spending time with friends. I have occasionally plunked around on a piano, and plucked a few notes on a guitar, but my skill, talent, and musical enjoyment is in the voice." Shuuichi leaned forward to retrieve a glass of water before leaning back in his chair again. He softly continued, "I really wanted to join this group because of the personalities I saw both on and off the stage. This may seem a little odd or forward, even, but I wanted to become friends with all of you and share my music with you and then the world with you guys." With a smile of contemplation, Shuuichi took a sip of water, and settled in.

Shizuru looked at the rest of the band and nodded, they had made the right choice, now it was time to make the announcement official. Standing, she held out her hand to both new members of their band, and smiled, "Welcome to Hoshi na Uta."

‡

_With the conclusion of this chapter, we are left with this knowledge-_

_The roles within the Band::_

_Vocalist – Kurama_

_Back-up Vocalist – Hiei_

_Guitarist – Yusuke_

_Bassist – Hiei_

_Synth – Botan_

_Drums – Kuwabara_

_Manager – Shizuru_

_Publicist – Yukina_

_Producer – Koenma_

_Kurama first sang "Nightmare" and then "Koori No Naifu wo Daite". Both songs are from the original series of Yu Yu Hakusho, sung by Megumi Ogata-san. Botan first played, "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by Bach and then "Lullaby" by Vienna Teng._

_These songs can be heard sung by Ogata-san, __played__ by Stephen Malinowski, and_ _by Vienna Teng__ through the __links posted in my profile page._

_All Questions and comments are welcomed with a smile._


	2. Chapter 2

つきはわたしたちにうたっています。

いっしょうに、あのうたをきってください。

わたしたちがうれしいですから、ね？

"The moon is singing to us.

Let's listen to that song together, please.

So that we can find happiness, alright?"

‡

_A.N.: This story is a band-fic set in a slightly AU Yu Yu Hakusho World. None of the characters mentioned herein belong to me. All of the artistic works will be properly disclaimed at the time of use and can be found at the end of the chapter in question to reduce the likelihood of spoiling the story. Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi-san. Please enjoy this story. Thank you._

_I would like to dedicate this chapter to my friends who have helped me recognize once again my worthiness to be loved. I appreciate all you've ever done very much, far more than I can express, and my love for all of you will always be there._

†

Sunlight streamed through Botan's window and she groaned before rolling over to escape the penetrating beams. It had been a good dream that she couldn't recall, just that she was left feeling refreshed – and wanting to go back into the dream. The young woman sighed and turned so her feet were dangling over the edge of the mattress. Wincing, she carefully put her feet on the cold floor of her apartment bedroom. Slowly making her way to the kitchen, she checked the clock on her way through the doorway. It read 9:00 a.m. and Botan began to hurry. The second jam session with everyone was due to start at noon downtown, giving her two hours to leave for the inner-city.

Mumbling to herself, Botan retrieved various elements of a fast breakfast, "I understand why we have to meet in the inner-city, but once, I'll like to play with the guys in a more suburban location." She liked them well enough, and they seemed to be warming up to her well enough. She hoped that before long, they'd be close friends. Botan poured the milk over her cereal and put it back in the fridge on her way to get a spoon. As her morning progressed, she felt more and more awake, like she usually did. She chased the last few corn flakes with her spoon with a determined glare as she always did, and with a victory cry, raised them to her mouth to be devoured.

"Ha!!" Her eyes shone with satisfaction as she stood to take her bowl to the sink. "What should I wear today?" The last two times she had seen them, she had been either dressed up or really casual. She really wanted them to see past her clothing, but she also wanted to make a statement. Wrinkling her nose at her dilemma, Botan plucked a few elements from her closet, holding them together with a calculating eye.

"This will be good, I suppose. Noticeable, but still toned down enough to hear over," She giggled, remembering some of the other ridiculous outfits she had seen at the try-outs. Shaking her head, she made her way to the bathroom, where she turned the shower water on to heat up while she brushed her teeth. Botan set out a towel, big and fluffy, on the counter before stepping into the stream of warm water.

Botan washed her body, and then her hair, with her favorite soaps which left her smelling similar to a cherry blossom, and lingered under the spray for a little while. She had a little time to think, at least. In the shower was one of her best places to think. Something about the water rushing past her made insignificant thoughts hush in place of more important subjects – like which of the boys were cuter! Blushing, Botan turned the water off and swatted the errant thoughts away. It was just like her to think like a hormone enraged teen at a time like this in her life. A time where she should be excited she finally got into the band she wanted to, and the first band she had ever gotten into.

She wrung her hair out and shook her head to loosen the strands from each other as best she could. Botan stepped out of the glass cube and retrieved her now very warm towel, giggling at the sight of her mirror. It had been fogged over from her shower, and every time it occurred, the sight managed to make her laugh. '_I didn't realize my showers were that hot. Ah, well, nothing to be done but open a door I suppose,_' she mused silently. Botan dried off her body and wrapped her long blue hair in the towel. Looking at her blurry mirror image, she posed a couple of times in satisfaction. Her moods were always higher after a relaxing shower.

She used the toilet, put on a robe, and prepared to face the coolness of her room. Sure enough, Botan cringed at the lower temperature as she made her way to the clothes she had set out. Pulling on the tight pants, Botan pulled the studded belt through the loops and examined her image in the mirror which made up the closet door. Giving a nod of approval, she shed the robe and donned the top of her outfit – a thin, off the shoulder shirt, with a complimenting tank top over it. The top successfully hid her bra-straps to her contentment; she didn't want to look like a slut.

†

Thankful that the bus stop was only a block away from the agreed-upon meeting place, Botan walked the sidewalk ignoring the glances she was getting from admirers and the glares she was getting from those jealous of her new position. Focusing on making her feet move and ignoring the bustle of people around her, Botan was soon in front of a large recording studio. Pushing past the doors, she took a deep breath to calm her sudden nerves. Botan made her way to the elevator, knowing it would give her a greater chance of calming down alone.

To her dismay, there was already someone waiting for the 'up' elevator, and to her stomach's twisting delight, she knew that person. Pushing past her nerves, she gave Hiei a smile and greeted, "Good morning, Hiei-san." Not expecting a response, Botan bowed lightly and waited for the ding signifying the arrival of an elevator. She doubted her ears for a moment, because behind the bell, she thought she heard his voice. Glancing over quickly as they boarded, Botan made sure that she was just hearing things. Except that he was looking at her. Not hearing exactly what he said, she just smiled lightly and turned to face the doors that had closed for the ascent.

Being trapped in an elevator with a presence as commanding as Hiei's was a rather new one, and it would take a lot of convincing to tell her instincts that it wasn't a life or death situation. Just because she knew some healing tricks with psychic energy didn't mean that everyone she met would have some kind of psychic trick up their sleeves, or in Hiei's case, non-sleeves.

Clad in all black as usual, Hiei wore rave pants with a belt and several chains and a plain tank top. Botan had her doubts as to whether the shirt was a in the same style as his pants or not. But given his attitude and confidence, he made it work, and she wouldn't be the one to tell him it didn't match.

With a ding, the cage dropped them off at the fifth floor and they made their silent way to the recording room. For Botan the silence was tense and difficult to maintain, and she was very happy when the door was opened and she found herself amidst loud conversation. She squirmed a bit when their eyes flicked over to examine her, even though they did the same thing last time she joined them.

Cheerily, she sought to break up their stares, "Good morning!" She waved and made her way to the couch.

Kuwabara laughed openly, "I wish it were morning still. Oneesan wakes me up at the point before the sun comes up." Kuwabara whined.

Botan cringed, "That's not even a new day at that point. Before the sun is too early!"

The door opened again and deposited Yukina into their midst, "Sorry I'm the last one here," she breathed. "Parking was impossible," she explained apologetically as she joined the group.

"Don't worry about it, you aren't late. Hiei just got here a few seconds ago. Botan, too," Yusuke convinced the worried young woman.

With a smile, Botan greeted Yukina, "Come on and sit down," gesturing to the seat next to her, "I won't bite!" Botan assured her.

"Actually, that won't be necessary. Now that everyone is here, let's get started, alright?" Yusuke suggested, more excited about the practice coming up than normal.

Because she was so curious, Botan nodded and stood up brushing her pants off. '_I wonder what kind of morning Yusuke has had up to now…_' Remembering the music they had played last time and the music she had practiced between then and now, she started to understand his eagerness. It was a list of songs filled with emotion, and it made her want to smile, laugh, and cry all at once.

Thinking about hearing them all together once again made her smile and skip through the door to sit down at the keyboard. She fiddled with the knobs to set up the various tones required for the first song she assumed they'd be practicing.

"First will be White Eyes, and we'll get to the next one in a bit. I really want to get this song as best as we can," Shizuru announced through the sound system with a wink through the glass window.

Botan grinned and reset the different settings for that song. It was fine with her to play White Eyes before Mizerable, just as long as they ended up playing both of them. As Kuwabara counted them off, Botan pulled heavily synthesized chords from her keyboard at the same time Hiei tore equally synthesized chords from his bass. Feeling a smirk come on, Botan pounced on it and turned it into a more-than-predatory-grin. In a moment the harsh sounds melted away, replaced by clear rock, and then that melted away. The emptiness was filled softly with Shuuichi's voice and her keyboard gently playing a harmony. Hiei joined deeper for a few words to add depth, and then backed off until the chorus hit, bringing back the harsh sounds of before.

Her fingers danced over the keys carefully, and she quickly lost herself in her own part, no longer able to marvel over the other's contribution as she could have before she joined. Before Botan noticed, her smile had returned with full force, and she felt like could fly. With nothing to do with her extra energy the song pulled from deep within her, Botan began to find a small dance where she was in front of the keyboard.

With a small amount of sadness, they finished their first run-through. Her cheeks were flushed and her ponytail was a little lowered from her activities.

There was a small click overhead before, "Alright, sounds really great for a run-through without practicing together. Let's hit the chorus again from the second verse. From the part where Hiei takes the vocals at the words '_kono deai sae ayamachi to kizamaretsuzuku tsumi no naka de furueta_' and we'll stop at the end of the bridge. Alright?"

Botan flicked a finger through the pages of the song, and down the page to find the lyrics they would start at. Nodding once at Hiei who had looked to her since at that point it was just them performing, she informed him, "I'll give you four counts before the line begins."

Kuwabara clicked the beats for her, and she started in on the song. It felt awkward to be playing all alone in front of all of them, but in a way, a little bit liberating. Focusing for the moment on the notes, she looked only at her sheet music. But as she came to a rest in her part, she began to listen and pay attention to how they played together with each other, with the exception of Shuuichi. At that moment she got a glimpse of what it was like and what it meant to play in a band together, '_Isshoni_' she whispered in her mind.

Botan began to play again, backing everyone up and coming out clearer where it was necessary. Ignoring, for the most part, her formal classical training, she only paid attention to the pitches expressed on the page, and their relation to the rest of the band. Her eyes recognized the last lyrics of the bridge and she convinced her fingers to stop playing.

The click came again, "Much better. I don't know what happened, but whatever it was needs to stay this way. There is still room for improvement, but I feel like some of the blockish feeling I heard before is gone now." Shizuru smiled genuinely at them, "You guys flow better now. Try it again, from the top."

The beats registered in her mind, and once again she began to play, but her interpretation of the song changed a bit. Instead of using the sheet music as a law, she used it to keep track of where everyone was. Botan was still learning where exactly she was supposed to flex in and out, but she thought she heard and felt what seemed like contentment in her heart.

Wringing her hands, Botan relished the small break Shizuru their slave driver had granted them. She winced for thinking such a thing of a new friend, but Botan couldn't help it. Shizuru was very demanding. She laughed softly to herself, '_Shizuru is possibly one of the largest reasons I even knew about this group of people._' Trying to imagine Yusuke or any other member of the original group other than Shizuru getting them all motivated and doing what was needed was quite a comical thought.

Botan felt the seat next to her depress a little as she gained a neighbor. She looked over, fully expecting to see Yukina. Botan was being visited by Shuuichi. Feeling her heart-rate soar, Botan took a sip of water to mask her deepened breaths.

Not wanting to search for words, Botan elected to either enjoy the silent company, or let him speak first. To her mild surprise, his voice while talking had a melodic hint to it, but that could have easily been due to having been singing for an hour previous to this.

"I had something I wanted to ask of you, or rather, to get your opinion on. Would you like to hear?" Shuuichi politely inquired.

Feeling a little on the spot, Botan squirmed a bit, "Sure, what subject would my opinion be good on?"

Shuuichi chuckled at her comment but didn't supply anything except his question, "From a woman's point of view: if I wanted to express emotions through singing, how would I best go about that goal?"

Feeling a little cornered, Botan stuttered a response, "Well, I don't know much about singing-"

"That's not what Yusuke said."

Feeling rather murderous, Botan sparked a bit, and flushed when she realized Yusuke had probably sent him to her for advice. Not wanting to let him down, she put revenge on Yusuke on a back-burner to be dealt with later.

She sighed, "Right, I did sing that song for them during the auditions…" Botan trailed and got back on track, "Well, I don't meant to make you chase the answer, but it would really depend on the kind of emotion you want to express. In a very vague answer, I'd tell you to put your heart's feelings into it."

"Can I ask you something else, as well?" Shuuichi requested softly.

Thinking it was more questions on how to project emotions so they'd be felt easier by females, she replied instantly, "Of course!"

He paused for a moment and this made Botan look at him and realize he was considering something, "Feel free to tell me you won't answer it, but I'd like to ask anyway." Seeing her speechless nod, Shuuichi blazed on, "What song did you play that you mentioned before?"

Botan was a little surprised, "Why? Did Yusuke say anything about it?"

"A little, but mostly I'm curious about the one thing that everyone but me experienced," Shuuichi laughed easily to show it was not an important thing he was asking for.

She nodded, even as Shizuru walked through the room headed to find the rest of the group, "Two minutes and we start back up again. So get rested up!"

Slowly, she responded to Shuuichi's request, "It was a lullaby my mother used to sing for me. I liked it very much when she sang it, so now I sing it often."

Shuuichi considered this and made a suggestion that might have had a question lurking within, it was something he simply mentioned without much forethought, "I'm sure if you asked her to sing it for you again, she would."

Botan smiled through the pain those words brought to mind and nodded, quietly agreeing, "I'm sure she would."

At that moment, Hiei and the missing members of the band filed in, followed by a barking Shizuru, "I said you could take a break, not go across the street to a coffee shop!" If Botan wasn't mistaken, she could clearly see Hiei's mirth displayed in a smirk that only he could pull off.

Before the boy on the couch could inquire anything else, and -more importantly- before Shizuru began barking at her, Botan stood with a smile and skipped into the recording room, leaving her melancholy memories behind on the couch cushions.

"Let's play Mizerable again, to get the feel back together, and then we can start in on the ironing process again," Shizuru suggested over the speakers.

With an affirmative nod from the rest of the band, Shizuru gave a signal to Kuwabara who obediently started them off.

With the violin setting turned on, Botan played the first eight measures alone and tried to fill them with the emotions portrayed in the rest of the song before the rest joined in. Shuuichi's voice floated over them with ease, even though it was filled with a mix of both sadness and hope for a happier future. Impressed with his interpretation of the song, Botan smiled and felt her part becoming a little easier. Focusing on making the hope feeling a little stronger than previous in the song, Botan struggled not to let the sadness overcome the hope even as she balanced her part against the rest of the band.

As she rested in the middle of the song, she heard Shuuichi's voice change to an electrified version, and with a smile, Botan began playing again. '_The things technology can do continues to impress me,_' she thought to herself.

Shizuru once again made her presence known, "Once again, but this time, from the bridge into the second chorus to the end."

Botan nodded, and once again, it was her job to lead in, "I'll give you four beats, then." She told to Shuuichi, who nodded, even as she felt somewhat pinned with his searching expression. Giving him a confused but determined smile, she nodded to Kuwabara who counted her off. '_Anything to keep the intense attention from that curious green gaze off of me!_' She reasoned to herself, and with that, launched into the line quickly backed up by the drums and guitar, followed by bass and lofty voice that managed to still be firmly grounded in some sort of inexpressible emotion. He is getting better at portraying multiple emotions at once, Botan noted, and as he sang the first part of his last line, frustration took over, to be overcome by another inexpressibly deep set of emotions.

Impressed, Shizuru came online, "Alright, we'll do that whole song over again, and then start completely over at the top of White Eyes, and then on into Mizerable. Just keep going from end to beginning. Don't wait on my comments; I'll just give them at the very end."

Surprised but accepting, Botan nodded and fiddled with the controls on her keyboard, setting it up for a quick change in settings multiple times. She gave the nod to Kuwabara after setting her music sheets up for quick access. Once they were all ready, he nodded to Shizuru, who pressed a button, and then he counted them off.

Enshrouded in their music, Botan didn't notice the red light over the outside door turn on. It said, "_Recording_" and it was probably a good thing that she didn't notice, since she was still getting over being rather performance shy.

As White Eyes blended into the instrumental middle, Botan became more impassioned with the music they were creating and mostly forgot about anyone beyond the room that might be listening. Soon, White Eyes melted into Mizerable, and as she was pulling the opening line from her keyboard, she had a small moment where she felt that more emotion might be possible if she were to use a genuine violin. Filing the thought away for later perusal, Botan focused on making her sound blend within the rest of their sounds.

Botan began to smile again, even as the words made her heart whimper a little, because the hope in the music made her pay attention to more than just the initial feeling of the words. Behind the words, she noticed, were inherent feelings of happiness and contentment. Maybe not overjoyed, but certainly not depressed.

The two songs ended, and the light turned off, unnoticed. "That sounded great!" Shizuru praised. Botan felt lighter than air, because those words were so rare coming from Kuwabara's elder sister. "I think that'll be it for today, but if you want to stick around for some reason, feel free," Shizuru clicked off the speaker system, and everybody started packing up their things.

Shizuru entered the room and headed for Botan at the same moment Shuuichi did as well, "Botan, I have a quick question: Do you have a piano at home?"

At Botan's nod, Shizuru smiled and thanked her before walking back toward the sound room.

Turning to Shuuichi, Botan shrugged, "Oh well, can I help you?"

Shuuichi replied smoothly with, "Actually, I was wondering if you had any other plans for today. I understand if you do, this is a rather sudden request of mine, but would you like to go to a park or something?"

Feeling torn between apprehension of being together alone with a well-mannered curious teen, and excitement of being together alone with a well-mannered interested teen, Botan slowly answered, "I don't have plans for today, and that sounds fine." She nodded in finality to herself. '_No backing out easily now,_' She mumbled in her mind.

She finished packing the Keyboard and the stand into their respective hard plastic compartments and rolled them against the wall to wait until their next session. Finishing with her job, Botan straightened and faced Shuuichi with an emotion similar to determination. "Shall we?" she inquired as she retrieved her shoulder bag with a smile.

"Let's be off, then," Shuuichi responded and called to the others, "We'll see you all later!"

Botan thought she heard whispers, but since Shuuichi didn't respond, she assumed she was simply fabricating the sounds. They rode in the elevator in relative silence, and then began walking to the nearest park also in near silence, until Botan couldn't stand being quiet any longer.

She vocalized her frustrations, "Auuugh! It's too quiet!" She said with a good dose of comedy.

Shuuichi chuckled, "Sorry about that, I got caught up in my thoughts and my quiet nature took over."

Something about the way he said it made Botan curious, "What were you thinking of?" she asked softly.

It wasn't immediately that he answered her, but when he spoke, the suddenness of hearing his voice again shocked her a little more than the actual words he spoke. "Our earlier conversation, actually," he continued hesitantly, "You can tell me to drop it at any point, it's not really any of my business, but I must admit my deep intrigue."

Botan fought not to flush or become flustered, and instead took a moment before answering, "What do you mean, exactly?"

With a grin, Shuuichi explained, "More or less? The song you sang. I listened to a recording of it once, but it's not quite the same as a live performance might have been. Honestly, I'd like to be present the next time you play that song." He added, "Whether or not you sing to it doesn't matter, but I'm sure it would feel more complete that way for you," before she could interject with the statement that she probably couldn't sing for him.

She said it anyway, "Yeah, but I don't think I could sing it for you. You are the singer for our group, and that's your specialty. I can't get anywhere close to that."

Shuuichi mulled it over and paused under a cherry blossom tree, "Maybe that's true, but maybe that doesn't matter as much as you think."

His eyes were filled with a mischievous emotion, and Botan felt like she was having a conversation with a Cheshire cat.

Moving again, his gaze landed on a crepe cart, and her gaze followed in curiosity. "Want one?" Shuuichi, the gentleman, inquired.

Botan, the lady, hesitated for a half of a second before giving in to her childlike love of the treats. Nodding, she responded, ready with a condition, "Yes, I would."

"Which flavor would you like, then?" He asked.

Shaking her head with a grin, she replied, "I'm not telling you."

They walked to the cart together, half bantering over what her favorite might be and why she should tell him, or why she wouldn't tell him. In the end, the battle was still on when they got there. With great doses of laughter, Botan covered his ears as she placed her order and paid before Shuuichi could do anything about it without hurting her, or either one's dignity.

Sighing in defeat, Shuuichi placed his order as well, conceding the battle as of that moment. "Very well, I'll figure it out on my own, and surprise you with my knowledge about you someday," Shuuichi declared with purpose.

Botan blushed the same color pink as her Crepe. She accepted the challenge in silence, determined to keep as much personal information away from him as possible. Unfortunately, as they sat eating their treats together, somehow they ended up on the subject of her song and the lullaby.

"Well, as you might know already, that song was a song my mother used to sing for me and play for me as a lullaby when I was a child. She's the reason why I play piano now instead of violin," Botan explained, getting sentimental. "I have committed that Lullaby to memory, and had learned to play it on the piano by the time I was 5. Though at the time, my voice wasn't so great. I was more or less tone-deaf!" Botan laughed lightly to lessen the severity of the subject.

"I really wanted to learn how to play the piano so that I could hear that song, whenever I wanted to. So, I dedicated time to learning how to play better and better. Once I knew how to play the piano part, I wasn't content to only have half of what I used to have. Because of that, I practiced singing it everywhere: the shower, on the way to school, and everywhere else that I had moments of time to myself. Eventually, I had it the best I could at the time, and I decided to put the two together," Botan felt sadness tugging at the corners of her eyes and pushed it away.

"I was excited to hear the beginnings of what I was aiming for, so I practiced more and more, working hard just on that one song. My dad suggested I get piano lessons because I spent most of my time in front of the black and white keys anyways. Eager to learn more of what my mother was passionate about, I agreed. Over the years, I've gotten better at the piano, but that song remains my favorite," She finished with a note of sadness in her voice.

Shuuichi commented softly, "And your saddest too, if I had to guess."

Without thinking, Botan nodded slowly, "I'll play it for you sometime, but I might start crying."

If Shuuichi was feeling a little bewildered as to why a memory so cherished as that would be so sad for her, -which he was- he didn't let it show, "I would be honored." To get her mind off of sad things, Shuuichi abruptly changed the subject, to Botan's surprise.

"If it would be alright, would you mind coming over for dinner tonight? I had plans for making a bigger meal tonight, but my roommate's friend opted out, so there's an extra seat that's empty if you'd like," Shuuichi's offer was made with a genuine caring smile.

Botan was simultaneously happy and apprehensive. It was almost too soon for him to be inviting her back to his place, but at the same time, it wouldn't be just the two of them, and she wouldn't be putting him at a disadvantage, so she agreed, "Alright, when should I be over?"

Shuuichi looked at his watch for a moment and looked like he was considering several things at once. "Actually, it would be best if I were to stay with you until it would be time for you to come over," He sounded apologetic.

"Hmmm. That's not a bad idea, especially since I have no idea where you live!" Botan reasoned, and stood up. "In that case, I should head back to my place now, if that's convenient," She waited for his response before going anywhere.

Shuuichi nodded, "That would be fine. Lead the way," with an elegant gesture, he stood and indicated that she should walk first.

Botan giggled at his antics which were probably only somewhat overdone in relation to his normal actions, and began walking in an elegant manner towards the subway line. Even on her way to do something so ordinary, she felt like a princess.

†

Fitting the key into the lock, Botan stepped inside and announced her entrance with a guest, "Hey, I'm home! Don't come out indecently, there's a visitor here!" She motioned for Shuuichi to say something.

He complied haltingly, "Sorry to disturb you!" He continued in a quieter tone to Botan, "I'll just wait in the Kitchen then. Come and get me whenever you are ready to leave."

With a nod and a smile, Botan flounced off to her room to change into something a little warmer for when she returned later that night so she wouldn't be freezing cold. She flicked the light on and smiled to find her room as she left it that morning, tidy with a few rumples in the bedspread. Botan slid the closet door to the side and examined her options.

Peeling off her tops, she replaced them with a thin long-sleeved cotton sweater in a vivid purple hue. Botan smiled as the hue played with her eyes in the light. The pants came off with a little encouragement, but once off, she replaced them with a pair of the warmest black business slacks she owned. Pulling on a pair of black socks, Botan closed her closet and returned to the kitchen.

She found that Shuuichi had taken an interest in their fridge, and with a mischievous grin Botan crept up behind him waiting to shock him with her sudden presence.

She breathed quietly. Deeply. Softly creeping across the room. One more step… Deep breath. '_Roses. An interesting choice for his shampoo scent. I wasn't aware that guy shampoo even had fragrances remotely like that,_' Botan's plan was momentarily derailed when she got right behind him and smelled his hair in close quarters.

"Who is this?"

He spoke.

She jumped.

Her roommate laughed from across the room.

Shuuichi turned apologetically to face Botan who had a hopefully unreadable expression on her face over the obvious embarrassment and irritation at having her plan foiled at her own fault. She looked at the hand he held out to her as an offer like it was a slightly dangerous snake.

Chuckling lightly to clear the mood as he usually did, Shuuichi emphasized his offer and spoke, "Sorry, I didn't really think anyone was there. I was just asking the question to the room at large."

Botan had her doubts, and they were probably well founded, too. She had a sneaking suspicion that Shuuichi did more things on purpose for different reasons than he let on. Shoving away her doubt and assumptions that he had done it in mean spirits to spoil her fun or embarrass her, Botan took his hand and smiled as he helped her stand.

Flashing a bright smile, Botan replied, "Thanks. That person is my mother… she—well, that story can wait a little longer. We have dinner to catch!" She ended the phrase a little too abruptly followed too quickly with too much cheer. Botan knew it was going to stand out, but she didn't want to have that conversation. Not just yet. Saving her apprehensions for later, and swallowing her sadness, Botan took Shuuichi's hand and moved quickly for the door.

"It was nice to meet you," Shuuichi called as they left Botan's apartment.

Botan shifted in her shoes to get comfy in the semi-professional flats. Glad for the long walk and the pleasant afternoon, Botan opted to enjoy the company in near silence.

For Botan, at least, it was near silence. Before long, she couldn't keep questions at bay, like where he lived and who he lived with. Soon she was wording the questions to lure longer answers out of her companion. Things like what kind of person his roommate was, Botan was sure they had made a game. She would think of a question formed to lengthen his answers. He, in turn, would find ways to completely answer her various inquiries in the shortest fashion he could think of.

‡

_With the conclusion of this chapter, we are left with this knowledge-_

_In Botan's case, something has happened with her mother and it still affects her to some degree. Kurama is curious about this, and a curious fox never stays curious for too long. Botan also has some doubts about the face 'Shuuichi' puts on for everyone, and suspects he has deeper motives._

_I apologize for the broken links in the previous chapter. From now on, disclaimers will be given here and links to places the songs and pictures can be viewed will be hosted on my profile page in an orderly fashion, or given through e-mail by request._

_This Chapter features two works by Gackt Camui. White Eyes, and Mizerable. All lyrics and musical notations are owned by Gackt Camui and Nippon Crown. I can only lay claim to my interpretation of these songs – emotionally, musically, and psychologically._

_The Translation of this story's title is as follows: "The Moon is Singing to Us."_

_If there are any other questions regarding Japanese language or cultural nuances, feel free to ask. I believe I'll be able to answer your question, and chatter your ear off as well._

_I would like to publicly thank my first two reviewers regarding this story for their overflowing optimism and encouragement._

_All Questions and comments are welcomed with a smile._


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